We had the good fortune of connecting with Dawn Estrada and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Dawn, what is the most important factor behind your success?
For the past 2.5 years that I have had Cake Jars while social media has been an excellent tool for us, word of mouth is golden. Whenever we attend markets, pop ups and festivals our customers would always mention that someone had told them about us and they had to come try it for themselves or someone had brought the jars to them, loved it and they have to have more. Another tool that has helped us grow an organic clientele is believing and staying true to ourselves and our values as a small business. When our customers come and hear our story, we become relatable to them. It becomes more than just a business transaction – every time a customer picks up a Cake Jars they not only get a cake, they get a story, they feel the love and care that I put in each jar that we create. I am always and forever grateful to our Cake Jars family for the love, support and for believing in my dreams!
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Growing up, both my grandmothers had their own successful businesses. And I have always known it was in my DNA being an entrepreneur. But for quite some time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Fast forward to 2010, I got a job at a local ice cream store. I worked my way up and I was able to learn a lot about running a business, managing your own employees, creating menus, doing social media – you name it, I was able to do it and learn so much from them! The more that I was soaking information the more that I was dreaming about having my own business.
Enter 2020! January of 2020, I injured myself at work and I had to take time off. During this break was when my husband Ace encouraged me even more to start my own business. After a few months of processing and thinking “what do I really want?” I knew I wanted to have something for myself even though I wasn’t able to finish college.
With not much of a plan I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business! All I knew was how much I love working with food and being creative.
When I decided to launch Cake Jars after leaving my job I didn’t want to be another cake person. I wanted to create a sweet scrumptious experience for everyone to enjoy while being aware about everything that comes with eating dessert. As a mom, I was more conscious about giving my kids sugar. So when I started Cake Jars I wanted to focus on using nothing but quality organic ingredients while being environmentally conscious. As a small business we love highlighting giving back to the community and local charities who share the same values as us. I try to practice and incorporate the same values I have as a mom and as a small business owner.
Starting and running your own business is definitely not for the faint of heart. I did not inherit this business from anyone nor do I have someone guiding me thru every step. I’m building Cake Jars from the ground up, learning as I go. Having Cake Jars have taught me that sometimes you have to just take a step to get to where you want to be. There will be a lot of mistakes, hard work and tears along the way but seeing it all come to fruition makes this journey even sweeter.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
If there’s one person who deserves to be recognized in my success, that would be my husband Ace Estrada. Before I even saw my potential as an entrepreneur, he was able to. He was the only one who encouraged me through the years to follow my dreams. He’s been my favorite taste tester, the one who does all the heavy lifting, loading and checking all the market equipment, the list goes on and on. Without him, I wouldn’t have had the courage to take the leap of faith and start this journey. He’s always cheered me on and believed in me even on days I would doubt myself. I am forever grateful that he’s always been there for me!
Website: www.cakejarsnj.com
Instagram: @_cakejars_
Facebook: @cakejarsnj
Image Credits
Peter Bonicci